Anna Campbell’s Top 5 Scoundrels

Talented historical romance author Anna Campbell has been a dear friend of mine for over 10 years. Yes, I knew her way back when. 🙂 Today marks another huge milestone — the release of her 10th novel, A Scoundrel by Moonlight! Congratulations, Anna!

Author photo by Robyn Hills.

Anything can happen in the moonlight…

Justice. That’s all Nell Trim wants – for her sister and for the countless other young women the Marquess of Leath has ruined with his wildly seductive ways. Now she has a bold plan to take him down… as long as she can resist the scoundrel’s temptations herself.

From the moment Nell meets James Fairbrother, the air positively sizzles. Yet for all his size and power, there’s something amazingly tender in his touch. Could he really be such a depraved rogue? The only way to find out is to beat the devil at his own game… one tempting kiss at a time.

Doesn’t that sound faaabulous? Details on how you could win your very own print copy of Scoundrel in a moment, but first…here’s Anna with her Top 5 literary scoundrels.

My Top 5 Scoundrels!

Hiya Vanessa! Thank you so much for having me as your guest today! And for doing the giveaway. I’m so excited that today marks the release of my 10th book, A SCOUNDREL BY MOONLIGHT (Sons of Sin 4, Grand Central Forever).

Ah, scoundrels! Don’t we love them?

Well, at least in the pages of a romance where rampant scoundrelcy is likely to end up in true love and a happily ever after.

Vanessa challenged me to list my top 5 Scoundrels, so here goes:

1.Mr. Edward Rochester from JANE EYRE by Charlotte Bronte. He’s a wounded lion when we meet him but he’s kicked up his heels in his time and paid the price. And he’s definitely a scoundrel in the way he deals with Jane (we love him anyway).

2.Jasper, Lord Damerel, in VENETIA by Georgette Heyer. Damerel has devoted his life to being a scoundrel and he’s so touchingly aware that his colourful past makes him unworthy of the heroine Venetia. We, however, know better! One of the best Heyers. If you haven’t read it, rush to get it. There’s an audio version read by Richard Armitage – be still, my beating heart.

3. Sebastian Ballister, Marquess of Dain, in LORD OF SCOUNDRELS by Loretta Chase. Is he a scoundrel? The clue’s in the title! Does he find redemption when he falls in love? What do you think? This book regularly tops the polls as the best romance ever written so if you haven’t got it, why not?

4. George Gordon, Lord Byron. Unlike my other scoundrels, he really existed – and provided the model for thousands of fictional scoundrels ever since. Byron’s short and wildly eventful life reads like a scandalous novel and he’s a fascinating mixture of the bad and the good, usually sinning, occasionally sinned against. But the man who wrote, “She walks in beauty, like the night” has to have something going for him!

5. James Fairbrother, Marquess of Leath in A SCOUNDREL BY MOONLIGHT. Actually the story turns on how much of a scoundrel Leath is. The heroine Nell Trim originally thinks he’s a rotter to the core, but as she gets to know him, that conviction gets shakier and shakier. So what percentage of Leath is scoundrel and what percentage is hero? You’ll have to read my latest book to find out!

So, for your chance to win a print copy of A Scoundrel by Moonlight, tell me, who’s your favorite scoundrel? Have you read any of these books? Are the heroes among your favourite scoundrels?

Hi, Laura! Thanks so much for stopping by. Anna has wonderful taste in scoundrels, so I *did* follow her recommendation and rushed to get the audio book version of Venetia. I might start a petition to have Richard Armitage play Leath in an audio book. Anna would be over the moon about that, I think! 😉

Sadly, the Venetia is abridged, Vanessa. But still it’s Richard and Heyer – can’t get much better. Let me know what you think of it. The guy who did the audio for Scoundrel is called Steve Wright – I hear (ha!) he’s very good.

Anna, I had to laugh at your new word, “scoundrelcy”! I’m not sure if it shouldn’t never be attempted after a glass of wine or ONLY be attempted after a glass of wine!

Normally, I’d turn to my shelves and peruse some titles for my top five scoundrels but alas I’m clearing shelves to allow for some renovations so my books are in boxes at the moment! But from memory, these are some gorgeous scoundrels… Your Sir Richard Harmsworth in A Rake’s Midnight Kiss was fabulous! And Christine Wells’ Marquise of Vane in Wicked Little Games. And Stephanie Laurens Duke of St Ives in The Promise in a Kiss. There’s an Amanda Quick scoundrel that I’m rather fond of too – Gideon in Ravished – more wounded than scoundrel in reality but the ton certainly views him as a scoundrel.

Anyway, I can’t wait to meet your Marquess of Leath in A SCOUNDREL BY MOONLIGHT! I’m positive he’s going to shoot to the top of my favourite scoundrel list!

Ooh, great list, Sharon! Yes, Richard H is a bit of a scoundrel, isn’t he? My idea when I started that book was to write about a man who became a hero in spite of himself. Genevieve brings out the best in him – when she’s not bringing out the worst. Hope you enjoy meeting Leath and Nell. Yes, my spellcheck had conniptions with scoundrelcy!

I agree with Sharon. Not sure we should try to say “scoundrelcy” after a glass of wine. My computer kept trying to correct it. haha. But I LOVE the word!

Anna, your book sounds so great. I love when those scoundrels get the tables turned on them. I can’t wait to read it.
As far as scoundrels are concerned, I don’t think you can get better than Rhett Butler. However, I’ve always loved Jordan Townsende, the Duke of Hawthorne, in Judith McNaught’s SOMETHING WONDERFUL. An oldie but goodie.
Vanessa, thanks for giving me EVEN MORE books to put on my TBR pile. My bedside table is going to flip over at this rate. 🙂

Kim, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve watched Gone With the Wind, thanks to a sister who was obsessed with the movie. I hear Scarlett’s voice in my head now — “Ohhh, Rhett!” He’s a wonderful scoundrel.

I’ve not had the pleasure of meeting the Duke of Hawthorne. I’ll put him on my teetering TBR pile too. 🙂

Kim, oh, man, you brought back memories! I think I must have read Whitney My Love about 50 times! I was quite obsessed with that book at one time. Laughing at you saying scoundrelcy. The problem is there isn’t an adequate noun for the state of being a scoundrel., Scoundrelhood? Scoundrelness? Scoundrelitude? I think Scoundrelcy is definitely the best of a bad bunch.

what a great list, there were some I read and others that I haven’t. I have to say that mine is Dain from Lord of Scroundrels. He is my go to read and I have read it many times. Thanks for the chance, love this series by Anna

Sheryl, isn’t it wonderful when you find a scoundrel you can come back to again and again?
Thanks so much for sharing. Anna sure provided a magnificent list of scoundrels — imagine the trouble they’d cause if they were all in the same room together! 😉

Sheryl, I’ve read LOS so many times, I know some of the pages off by heart. I think however Mr Impossible just pips it at the post for me (it’s a hard contest!). Rupert isn’t a scoundrel, he’s a sweetie. Thanks for saying you’re enjoying the series.

Hi Anna! hi Vanessa! Anna, congratulations on your tenth published book! What a milestone! And this latest book sounds fabulous! Really looking forward to reading it, as I love those scoundrels who are not so scoundrel-y, after all. Love your list, and now I’ve got a bunch of new books to add to my TBR pile. Congrats again!

Hi Pintip! Vanessa has such good taste in friends, doesn’t she? 🙂 Thanks for saying you like the sound of the new book. I’m with you – I don’t want my hero to be a complete scoundrel but a touch of scoundrelcy (copyright Anna Campbell 2015) never goes astray.

Hi, Kandy! I love Anna’s title too and I know you’ll love her scoundrel, Leath. Much to love about that rogue Rhett. Truly one of the most memorable literary and movie scoundrels. Thanks so much for stopping by!

Thanks so much, Kandy! Hope you enjoy my scoundrel! There should be one sitting in your mailbox as we speak. Oh, yes, Vanessa couldn’t have chosen better than Rhett! I love how he calls Scarlett on her behaviour! Everybody else lets her walk all over them.

Congratulations on your new release & your 10th book overall. As other commenters have mentioned, Rhett Butler is probably the best-known rogue, but runners-up are Leo from Lisa Kleypas’ Hathaway series & David Hillsborough in Tempting the Bride by Sherry Thomas.